At Last, We're Family Again
by Chip903
Summary: After the battle with Alpha-152 and with the inevitable battle with MIST on the horizon, Kasumi and Ayane finally put their intense and personal sibling rivalry to rest. Takes place at the end of "Dead Or Alive 5."


_**~At Last, We're Family Again~**_

After the climatic battle against Alpha-152 in the secret MIST laboratory, Kasumi felt as if a huge weight had finally been lifted off of her shoulders. It had been two long years since the creation of her powerful clone, and with the help of her family and friends, she was able to destroy the farce once and for all. However, although the battle with Alpha-152 was over, Kasumi knew that the war was far from being over and done with.

'_Victor Donavon,'_ she said mentally as she gazed up at the beautiful blue sky onboard the Helena Douglas's Freedom Survivor. _'I don't know where you are. But I swear, I will find you…and make you pay for what you've done to me and my family.'_

Running a hand through her long-flowing red hair, the kunoichi turned around and looked just a few feet ahead of her, her eyes falling on three figures and a soft smile coming to her face as she acknowledged each of them. Ryu Hayabusa, her long time ally and friend. Hayate, her beloved older brother. And finally Ayane, her younger cousin and, more importantly, her younger half-sister.

Kasumi and Ayane, for a long time, had been embroiled in a very bitter sibling rivalry that went beyond being personal. The two of them engaged in numerous battles over the years, both verbally and physically. But some time after the fourth Dead Or Alive Tournament, their relationship had begun to slowly but surely change drastically.

As Kasumi began to walk over to her fellow ninjas, she reached to her side and took out a kunai that was adorned with a purple iris. It was the very same kunai that Ayane had thrown at her before she and Hayate went to fight Alpha-152. However, Ayane didn't throw the kunai at her sister with the intention of killing her, as Kasumi had grown accustomed to. Instead, Ayane did it to keep Kasumi from following her and Hayate. Kasumi then remembered the look that Ayane had on her face as she looked at her, and it was one she never thought she would ever see on her sister's face – Ayane was smiling lovingly at her.

The kunoichi approached her siblings and Ryu, handing the kunai to Ayane. The purple-haired ninja took one step to her sister, looked down at the kunai, and saw the iris spin as a small gust of wind blew by. Ayane looked up at Kasumi and saw her giving her the same smile that she herself had given her back at the MIST lab. Returning the smile, Ayane took the kunai from Kasumi and watched as the iris continued to spin before looking back at her sister as she began to speak.

"Ayane," Kasumi said softly. "Thank you." She turned to Ryu and her brother and smiled at them. "And Hayate, you and Ryu too."

Hayate gave a soft nod of his head, smiling at his younger sister while Ryu kept his arms crossed and acknowledged her with a nod as well. "So Kasumi, what're you going to do now?" Ryu asked. "Return home?"

"You would be very much welcome back home sister," said Hayate.

Kasumi shook her head. "As much as I would love to return home, I can't. I have to find Donovan and end this once and for all. I owe it everyone, including myself, to take him down."

Hayate looked at his sister with admiration and a look of approval. "You've become a much stronger person Kasumi, and I can honestly say I have never been more proud of than I am at this moment." He placed his hand on her shoulder. "Go. Do what you have to do."

Kasumi smiled and placed her hand over her brother's. "Thank you."

Hayate gave his sister's shoulder a gentle squeeze before taking his hand back and watching as she turned around and began to walk to the helicopter that was awaiting her. "Don't worry," said Ryu. "She'll be alright. And if she does need help, she knows how to get in touch with us."

"Yes, I know she will," said Hayate. "Doesn't change the fact that I will miss her until she returns."

Ayane, who had been silent the entire time, watched as Kasumi neared the helicopter. She took a few steps towards her before turning and looking at Hayate, and her brother instantly knew what she was going to say. "You'd better hurry before you miss her," the ninja master said.

"You may not get another chance," Ryu added.

Ayane looked at them both before nodding her head and running after Kasumi.

"I'd say this has been a very long time coming," Ryu said as he watched Ayane.

A smile came to Hayate's face as he crossed his arms. "I couldn't agree more."

* * *

"Kasumi! Wait!"

Kasumi was just about to enter the helicopter when she heard the familiar voice of her sister call to her. Turning her head, she saw Ayane come up to her, a bit out of breath from her run. "Hmm? What is it Ayane?"

The younger ninja took a moment to catch her breath and find her voice before looking Kasumi in her face. "So, you're sure that this is the path you want to take? You don't have to do this, you know. More or less alone."

Kasumi couldn't help but smile as she knew that Ayane was doing her best to put up a front and come out and just say that she was worried about her. "Ayane, I appreciate your worry and concern for me, but you don't have to be. Like I told Hayate, this is something I have to do. I can't rest until I know for sure that Donovan is no more, along with his insane plan."

Ayane crossed her arms over her chest. "And you're going to go it alone?"

Kasumi nodded her head. "It'll be much easier that way. Besides, you and Hayate must protect our village at all costs. What if something were to happen and none of us were there to prevent it?"

The younger ninja sighed a bit. She hated to admit it, but she knew that Kasumi was right. "Always so stubborn and wanting to do everything on your own. Mother was right on the money."

A soft grin appeared on Kasumi's face as she winked at Ayane. "It runs in the family, it seems."

Scoffing playfully, Ayane grinned back at her sister. "Heh, alright. Do as you will. But first, before you go, I want you to do me a favor."

"Sure, anything," Kasumi replied. "What?"

Ayane held up the same kunai that Kasumi had returned to her and held it out to her, the iris spinning once more. "Take this with you. I'll be expecting it back when you return so you'd better not lose it."

Kasumi looked back and forth between her sister and the kunai before realizing what she was doing. Ayane was giving her a reason to come back to their village and come back home to their family. Reaching up and taking the kunai, Kasumi also placed her hand on Ayane's. "I promise you on my life, I'll come back home and return this to you when I do Ayane. I don't know when I'll come back, when I do you will be the first one to know."

Once again, a smile came to Ayane's face. "I'll hold you to that." The younger ninja then stepped forward to her sister, wrapped her arms around her waist, and hugged her.

Kasumi was a bit taken aback by her sister's action and stood still with slightly widened eyes. "A-Ayane…?"

"Please Kasumi…" Ayane said just barely above a whisper and in a shaky voice. "Just…just let me have this moment…"

Noticing that her sister's body had begun to shake, Kasumi looked down at Ayane with a soft gaze before wrapping her arms around her and hugging her back, rocking her in her arms as she did so. For the first time in years, the sisters truly felt at peace in each others' presence. Neither of them thought that after the countless near-fatal fights they've had that they would be in this position, one that they had always shared together when they were kids. But both of them were thankful that after long last, they were at peace once again.

"Be careful…" Ayane said as she slightly loosened her grip and pulled back, looking her sister in her eyes, her eyes becoming a bit glossy. "And Kasumi, please…if by any chance you change your mind about wanting help…if you need anyone…I'm there for you, always and forever…"

Doing her best to hold back tears, Kasumi smiled at her. "I'll keep that in mind…dear sister…" she leaned forward and placed a soft kiss on Ayane's forehead, something she hadn't since they were kids.

Tears spilled out of Ayane's eyes as she once again hugged her older sister, which Kasumi returned, stroking her sister's hair softly. The two of them held each other a bit longer, just savoring the moment until Kasumi pulled away reluctantly. "I must go now…"

Ayane nodded as she wiped her eyes and looked down at her feet. "I understand…"

Kasumi smiled at her as she held her hand, backing into the helicopter. "Are you ready?" the pilot asked her.

"Yeah, let's go," the kunoichi answered, never taking her eyes away from Ayane.

"Roger that," the pilot replied as he started the helicopter.

The sister continued to hold each other's hands as the helicopter began to slowly raise off the landing pad. "Ayane…" Kasumi began as a small tear ran down her cheek. "I love you…"

The tears continued to come from Ayane as well at hearing Kasumi say words she hadn't heard in what seemed like ages. Words that she had been longing to hear again. "I love you too Kasumi…"

Kasumi and Ayane held onto each others' hands for as long as they could until they were forced to let go. The red-haired ninja never took her eyes off of Ayane as the helicopter lifted up into the air and although she was leaving behind her family, she felt as if she had finally done away with another burden. She finally at long last had her sister back and she had never been happier. A thought came to Kasumi then and she reached her hands behind her head.

* * *

"Kasumi, you'd better not go dying on me…" Ayane said softly as she continued to watch until the helicopter was almost out of sight. "I've only just got you back…I'll be damned before anything happens to you…"

She felt an arm go around her shoulders and as she looked to the side she saw Hayate standing there. "Are you alright?"

Ayane nodded her head. "Yes Master Hayate." She sighed softly as she looked back up to the sky. "I really hope that she'll be okay without us…"

Ryu walked up and stood on her opposite side. "She can take care of herself. But as I'm sure you already know Ayane, we all will be there to back her up if the time comes for it."

The young kunoichi smiled softly and nodded at Ryu. "Yes, you're right Master Ryu."

Hayate gave Ayane a slight squeeze before taking his arm from around her. "Well then, let's be on our way back home. We have a lot to explain to the rest of the clan concerning this Phase 4 predicament."

"Agreed," Ayane replied as she turned around to head inside the Freedom Survivor.

Ryu's voice rang out just then. "Look, there."

Both Hayate and Ayane turned and looked in the direction Ryu was motioning. They saw a blue object floating down from the sky and heading in their general vicinity. Ayane, like her companions, didn't know what it was at first. But suddenly, her eyes widened as she recognized it and ran to the edge of the ship, catching it in her hand.

Hayate walked up to her again. "Ayane? What is it?"

She showed him the object. "It's Kasumi's ribbon…"

A smile came to her brother's face. "I see." He saw that one of her kunai was gone. "You gave her your kunai, right? It would seem that she's left you something as well."

Ayane smiled as she held the ribbon close to her heart. "Yes…And I'll treasure this always…until she comes back home…

Hayate turned his attention up to the sky where the helicopter previously was. "I'm sure that she would love that."

Joining her brother in looking up at the sky, Ayane remembered the words that her mother had told her a few years ago.

"_Our family bonds are stronger than any Shinobi code. Don't ever forget that."_

'_I won't mother,'_ Ayane mentally said as he hair blew in the breeze. _'Kasumi, we'll all be waiting home for your return. And if you need us, we'll be there before you know it. Take care…big sister.'_

* * *

In the helicopter, Kasumi looked down out of the window at the Freedom Survivor a bit longer before it was out of her sight. She sat back in her seat and closed her eyes contently as she set off on her journey to find Donovan. In her mind, she thought back to all of the fights she and Ayane had to lead up to this point. Never in her imagination did she think she would truly be able to bury the hatchet with her sister and go back to being as close as they once were. But she could finally rejoice in the fact that she did.

As a smile came to her face, one last thought came to her. And little did she know, Ayane was thinking the exact same thing.

"_At long last, we're family again."_

_**~The End~**_

* * *

_**~Author's Note~**_

_**Boo yah! My first Dead Or Alive story is complete! After years of fighting each other, Kasumi and Ayane have finally ended their bitter rivalry and are back to being the best friends they were as children! They finally have their family bond back! Gah, I really wish the ending to "Dead Or Alive 5" had gone something like this, LOL! I hope you all enjoyed it!**_

_**Until next time my fellow readers and authors, later and happy reading!**_


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